Fire and territory in Navarre: an interdisciplinary perspective from Geography, History and Customary Law

Abstract

The present research proposes an interdisciplinary reading of fire in Navarre, addressing its role in the ecological configuration of the territory, its historical use as an agricultural and cultural tool, its transformation into a catastrophic risk, and its legal regulation since the Middle Ages. Through the analysis of documentary sources such as charters, municipal ordinances, notarial records, and regional legislation, the evolution of the regulatory framework governing the use of fire in the Navarrese mountains is reconstructed. The study reveals how Navarrese historical law, deeply rooted in communal practices and customary customs, has been key to the management of fire as an ecological and social element. It is concluded that understanding fire in Navarre requires an approach that combines ecology, history, and law, and that traditional knowledge can offer keys to addressing the contemporary challenges of forest fires. This study has aimed to contribute to this understanding by offering a profound, well-documented, and original analysis of fire as a legal concept, a territorial practice, and a cultural expression. The Navarrese experience demonstrates that it is possible to regulate fire from a community-based, territorial, and traditional perspective, and that law can be a tool for balance, adaptation, and transformation. In a world increasingly threatened by climate change, regulatory homogenization, and biodiversity loss, the Navarrese model offers a valuable alternative and deserves to be studied, protected, and replicated.